HSMO relies heavily on the assistance of volunteers who walk dogs, clean cages, and donate towels, blankets and toys
Anna Nowotny
-Graphic Design Editor-
They come from all over Missouri; rescued from last summers’ floods, discovered by law enforcement agents and seized from abusive owners, surrendered by overwhelmed breeders, or they are strays brought in by conscientious citizens.
They all reside at the Humane Society of Missouri, a sanctuary for floppy ears and wagging tails where animals receive care and attention while they wait for “forever families,” a term used in the educational video, “Second Chances.” Although HSMO operates four locations, including a sprawling headquarters in the City of St. Louis on Macklind Avenue, keeping up with the overabundance of animals without homes is a constant juggling act.
A poster in the Education Center of HSMO reads, “Every person would have to own 15 dogs and 45 cats during their lifetime in order to keep up with the current flood of puppies and kittens.”
Anyone who has cared for a dog knows they require at least one hour per day of walking, feeding and general TLC. Imagine how much work it takes to care for the 98,000 animals that come through HSMO over the course of one year. As a result of these staggering numbers, HSMO relies heavily on the assistance of volunteers who walk dogs, clean cages, and donate towels, blankets and toys.
The Girl Scouts of Francis Howell District in St. Charles, Mo. are among those who contribute to helping shelter animals. Each year, troop leader and animal lover, Laurie Obrien, steers her scouts toward earning a badge for completing 15 hours of community service.
The 25 enthusiastic fifth graders joined Beth Rauhut, volunteer instructor for HSMO Education Center, for a morning full of learning activities that included a hypothetical scenario in which the girls determined the best reasons to adopt a pet.
“Kids are conduits,” exclaimed Sue Frayer, executive assistant, “they go home and tell their parents to spay and neuter their pets.” In their commitment to teaching kids about animal care and the prevention of pet overpopulation and abuse, HSMO reached over 31,000 youths last year through their education program.
By the time they are rewarded for their good deeds, the Francis Howell Girl Scouts will have built cat scratching posts, sewn cat nip into tube socks and decorated bandanas for newly adopted dogs.
Maybe Tyson, the Doberman Pinscher Mix whose profile on his cage reads, “He’s a great kisser too,” will be one of the lucky ones to find a home.
